So, I live in a duplex. My house if on the corner of the street, so one side of the duplex is next to the street and then there's the other side that is next to another duplex. I live on the side next to the other duplex. The people that live on the other side of my duplex (the side next to the street) are just fine... no noise, no problems... the people who live in the duplex next to me, are a different story. Their backyard backs up to my backyard and is less than 10 feet from my bedroom window. They have dogs that remain outside pretty much ALL of the time. And they don't have 1 or 2 dogs... They have like 6 or 7.

So anyways, these dogs like to bark. Normally it's not too big of a deal (I can ignore it, sleep through it, etc...) but every now and then it gets out of control. There's been once or twice when I've been trying to get to sleep, and the dogs would be barking, so rather than get dressed and go talk to the neighbors, I'll just flick my backyard light on and off a couple times and they usually get the point... but not last night. Last night about a quarter to midnight, these dogs are going absolutely ape shit. I gave them 10 minutes to do something about it, then I flicked the lights. I went back to bed, hoping they'd get the point. They did not. Another 10 minutes went by (it's now 5 after 12... I have to be at work at 6:30am) and the dogs are going insane. Barking constantly. So I'm fed up and I go out to my backyard and yell loudly "SHUT YOUR DOGS UP" and immediately the dogs are quite (I presume the owner let them inside)

Did I do the right thing? Should I have knocked on their door instead? What do I do next time the dogs are barking? Shoot them?

BTW... It was 31 degrees outside last night at the time these dogs were outside... WTF is wrong with these people?

You did the right thing, regret nothing. If you feel bad about it next time you see them go over and explain in a calm voice the situation.
Cheers

Well, I don't think I did anything wrong per se. I just don't want to start a war with the neighbors. I would have gone and knocked on their door, but that would've involved getting dressed, putting my contacts back in, getting shoes and a coat...

I guess the real question is... If it happens again (which I'm sure it will) should I handle the situation differently?

BTW... I hardly ever see the neighbors. I've talked to them once or twice, and they seemed nice enough, but they are consistently inconsiderate

If this persists from this point on, i'd go talk to them rationally let them know it's basically not cool. Again if it persists threaten action against them. Are pets even allowed in these duplex's? Get police involvement, animal control, or even if you have to the courts. It's a shitty deal but you don't have to suffer because of some other people. You have a right to be able to sleep etc without annoyance. Other question is why do they have so many dogs? Normally that many is not allowed.

If this persists from this point on, i'd go talk to them rationally let them know it's basically not cool. Again if it persists threaten action against them. Are pets even allowed in these duplex's? Get police involvement, animal control, or even if you have to the courts. It's a shitty deal but you don't have to suffer because of some other people. You have a right to be able to sleep etc without annoyance. Other question is why do they have so many dogs? Normally that many is not allowed.

Pets are allowed in the duplex's assuming that the owner of said duplex allows them...

The duplex's are just houses that have been split down the middle basically, turning it into two smaller houses. Basically I have a one car garage (what used to be a two car garage), two bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen... The other side has the same stuff - I think a kitchen may have been added to one side...

Each duplex is owned by someone different, just like houses... so if the owner allows the dogs, then it's not a problem...

I'm not sure how many dogs the city will allow you to have, but I'm sure they are close to being, if not, over that limit

I've thought about calling the city about the issue, but I don't want to stir shit up... although I may have by screaming at the top of my lungs at them last night...

I'll go talk to them if there's a problem in the future... and if it goes on past that, then I'll have to file a noise complaint/too many dogs...

Kind of a misleading title.. You don't have to wait for it to happen again, you can go over during the day and apologize for yelling and simply ask that after 11 they keep their dogs inside. If they don't, all bets are off and call the cops.

Kind of a misleading title.. You don't have to wait for it to happen again, you can go over during the day and apologize for yelling and simply ask that after 11 they keep their dogs inside. If they don't, all bets are off and call the cops.

This seems reasonable. I don't think I owe them an apology for yelling, since they were completely inconsiderate to begin with, but I would apologize just to make things right.

BTW I did look up the laws for the City of Dallas, and there is a 4 cat/dog limit for duplex's (for example: you are allowed no more than 4 dogs, or 2 dogs + 2 cats, 3 cats+ 1 dog, etc)

They are WAY past that limit. They have at least 5 dogs, probably more, and they have a cat, that sleeps in my vegetable garden (which I don't mind too much, because it doesn't disturb my plants and it keeps other pests away)

This seems reasonable. I don't think I owe them an apology for yelling, since they were completely inconsiderate to begin with, but I would apologize just to make things right.

BTW I did look up the laws for the City of Dallas, and there is a 4 cat/dog limit for duplex's (for example: you are allowed no more than 4 dogs, or 2 dogs + 2 cats, 3 cats+ 1 dog, etc)

They are WAY past that limit. They have at least 5 dogs, probably more, and they have a cat, that sleeps in my vegetable garden (which I don't mind too much, because it doesn't disturb my plants and it keeps other pests away)

Good call looking that up.. IF they're unreasonable when you talk to them just say something like "I'd hate to have to get the authorities involved, especially since you have more pets than the city allows in your building". I'm sure they'll be cool about it though.

And you just know they keep them outside because there's no way there's room for 6+ animals in a fucking duplex.. what douches haha I'd honestly call the police if it persisted, that's so annoying.

If it came down to it I would probably file a noise complaint. But I'd prefer to talk to them first. I just don't want them to harbor any resentment and seek some kind of revenge. I don't plan on moving anytime soon and I don't think they are moving either so...

BTW, not only is there not room for 6 animals in the duplex, but they've got at least 4-5 people living in the duplex, which wouldn't be too bad if it weren't for the animals too... and they probably don't want the dogs inside because they will bark inside too...

I swear these people never sleep. When I get up at 5:30 in the morning, there lights are on and I can hear them doing shit outside... same thing at midnight, one, two...

I hate cops, but I called the cops on my meth head neighbors in my old neighborhood more than once for that shit. Dogs barking while you're trying to sleep is the the fucking worst.

Yea, I'd avoid calling the cops at all costs, just to not have to deal with cops...

I think I'm just going to hope they have learned from this (which I'm sure they haven't) and if it happens again (which I'm sure it will) I will knock on their door and tell them to fix the problem or I'm going to file a noise complaint.

I'd prefer civil action, but I was tired and pissed last night, which is why I yelled at them... at least I yelled "Shut your dogs up" and not "Shut the fuck up" like I was tempted to

If it came down to it I would probably file a noise complaint. But I'd prefer to talk to them first. I just don't want them to harbor any resentment and seek some kind of revenge. I don't plan on moving anytime soon and I don't think they are moving either so...

BTW, not only is there not room for 6 animals in the duplex, but they've got at least 4-5 people living in the duplex, which wouldn't be too bad if it weren't for the animals too... and they probably don't want the dogs inside because they will bark inside too...

I swear these people never sleep. When I get up at 5:30 in the morning, there lights are on and I can hear them doing shit outside... same thing at midnight, one, two...

Yea, I'd avoid calling the cops at all costs, just to not have to deal with cops...

I think I'm just going to hope they have learned from this (which I'm sure they haven't) and if it happens again (which I'm sure it will) I will knock on their door and tell them to fix the problem or I'm going to file a noise complaint.

I'd prefer civil action, but I was tired and pissed last night, which is why I yelled at them... at least I yelled "Shut your dogs up" and not "Shut the fuck up" like I was tempted to

I mean, you handled the situation fine in my opinion. I don't like dealing with cops either, so I just called from my cell phone and made my complaint anonymous. The noise was bad enough, but also those dogs were left outside literally all day so I figured it was the right thing to do.

I mean, you handled the situation fine in my opinion. I don't like dealing with cops either, so I just called from my cell phone and made my complaint anonymous. The noise was bad enough, but also those dogs were left outside literally all day so I figured it was the right thing to do.

Yea I kinda agree with you about the bolded part... The dogs next door are literally outside 95% of the time... and now it's winter and it's like 30°F at night, so I kinda feel bad for the dogs... but I guess it's not up to me to tell them how to treat there animals as long as they can get them to shut the hell up